evaluation - document 6

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Photography and Digital Manipulation

Ruby Hooper

Photography Project

Image Set #1 Street - York

Image Set #1 Review• Was the shoot successful?Some images within the contact sheet were successful while others were not, this is because of the

weather conditions were not as I hoped for, the fish eye images I have taken contain very little focus and it is not clear where the audiences focus is meant to be. The contact sheet on the left is a collection of photographs that include an empty feel, lonely alleys, roads etc while the collection on the right is a collection of images that are representing every day life. Overall my favourite collection is every day life, this is because the images are a lot busier and have more meaning behind them. Amongst the collections there are only three images I would consider taking on to post production, because I am not passionate about these image I believe it made the shoot unsuccessful.

• Are any of the images you produced going to be in the final set?I do not think I will be taking any of these images into post production and onto featuring in my final set,

this is because I have more successful images amongst other contact sheets, there is nothing that highly interests me and it would not be of interest to my audience either.

• What post-production could occur?There is a lot of post production I could do in these images, it would improve every image but it would still

not interest me enough to be featured in my final collection. Image 6253 could be slightly cropped to have the train information exactly in the centre, I could also make assets of the image monochrome to emphasise some of the colours. Image 6198 could also have a lot of post production, this image is most interesting as it is full of colour and it is busy, I would create a stronger depth of field to create negative space and darker assets, I could also adjust image 6208, I like the contrast between the sky and the buildings, I also like the vantage point as it makes the buildings tower over the people, I could make this image monochrome to emphasise some important assets and create more negative space and bring out the detail in the buildings.

Image Set #2 Puddles - York

Image Set #2 Review• Was the shoot successful?I believe that these contact sheets show that these images were successful. This is because there is a clear

colour contrast in every photograph, the depth of field is not as deep as I hoped for but these images are completely candid and I had very little time to capture each photograph. An aim I set myself was to capture images including puddles and reflections if necessary, there are little reflections but I got enough images of puddles to go with.

• Are any of the images you produced going to be in the final set?There are definitely two images I will be taking into post production, with a possible third. These are 6238

and 6242, the image I am considering using as well is 6234. • What post-production could occur?The post production that could take place is level adjustments, this will give me a stronger depth of field,

it could also make the reflection stronger. I would like to consider having each image monochrome but I like the contrast between the dark figure jumping over the puddle and I also like the children’s feet remaining in colour, this is because I like the images being childish and light, if the images were monochrome it may take the child-like playful feeling away from the image but I will still try this. I could also use the clone stamp tool along side the spot heeling tool to make the puddles appear deeper so you cannot see the ground beneath. I will also consider making the impact against the water in image 6238 a lot heavier to emphasise the power the feet hit the ground, this can make the image more playful and friendly, it would also work in monochrome.

Image Set #3 Individuals - York

Image Set #3 Review• Was the shoot successful?The shoot was very successful, this is because every image I captured is appealing to my audience, I have rarely used the rule of thirds but I have used an interruption of pattern, natural framing, colour contrasts between the background and subject and I also used reflections. These were the methods I intended on using so I am glad I was able to capture them.• Are any of the images you produced going to be in the final set?I would like to use six of these images and they are: 6178, 6231, 6242, 6246, 6186 and I am going to feature 6254. These images will be going to post production. 6178 is my favourite image in this contact sheet, it is amusing as the older gentlemen is drinking a big bottle of cherryade showing he is young at heart, the image is powerful as he is shown so small against the building, the image has a symmetry and break of pattern. Image 6231 has a lovely natural framing with a candid figure walking through. 6242 has a beautiful contrast between the subject and the background, this is what I like about this photograph, 6246 is using a natural framing, the vantage point and angle makes the image slightly off but this can be corrected. 6254 was an unexpected image, I am not sure why but the centre figure is where the attention is drawn to which was unintentional but I like this asset. • What post-production could occur?There is a lot of post production I can do with these pieces, I would like to adjust the levels to give the images a stronger depth of field, I would also like to make some images monochrome to give some assets of the images more credit. I will also be using the crop tool to draw attention elsewhere and create a better symmetry and emphasise the natural framing. I will also be using the clone stamp tool and spot healing tool, this will allow me to get rid of unwanted people or objects in my images, an example of this is the caution sign in image 6254.

Image Set #4 Architectural - York

Image Set #4 Review• Was the shoot successful?(ignore the middle row, this mainly falls under my individual section) I believe that this contact sheet is

successful, architectural photography was not an area of photography I wanted to cover, regardless of this, the images I captured are aesthetically pleasing and will be interesting to my target audience, these images make the location clear that I was photographing York Minster. Even though the images were unintentional I believe they are successful because they work well. The quality of the photographs using a fish eye lens are affective and interesting from a distance but round edges are blurred and unclear so these images look good but unfortunately were unsuccessful, I hoped these images would work best but the camera did not accurately capture edges.

• Are any of the images you produced going to be in the final set?There are two images (excluding the second row) that I will be taking with me into post production. They

are the first image and 6171. The first image has a lot if potential while 6171 has blurred edges which I did not want in the image but this can be adjusted I like the contrasts and details within the image. I would of liked to of used 6170 but I believe there is nothing extremely special about this image this will not interest my target audience, it also has a reflection off the window which I did not want to be there.

• What post-production could occur?All of these images will look brilliant monochrome, this is because it will create a larger depth of field, deeper detail within the buildings architecture and I have the opportunity to lighten each image to give it a happier, warmer feel. I can also sharpen the edges of the image using the fish eye lens, this will enable me to make the image look cleaner, clearer and sharper. Because of the fish eye lens and the vantage point it makes the building look like it is falling. I could also adjust the levels to give the images a stronger negative space.

Image Set #5 Joiner - York

Image Set #5 Review• Was the shoot successful?From the images I collected in the contact sheet it appears that the Hockney Joiner will work. From the images put into a Hockney Joiner it is clear that the shoot was unsuccessful. This is because I rushed the images, I took them quickly to avoid the rain, I did this as an experiment and at the time when I was taking the photographs I knew it would not work efficiently. If I get the opportunity I would like to retake these photographs and try again. There is a section of the image missing due to my clumsiness and it is difficult to capture a Hockney Joiner when capturing street photography because people are constantly on the move so this was unsuccessful in this case. I also did not give each image a 25% lee-way so they matched up inaccurately, this means each image cannot be moved otherwise their would be black spaces. Another amateur mistake I made was I did not change the image size so they were smaller, this meant it took a long time to upload each image into Photoshop. • Are any of the images you produced going to be in the final set?I took all of the images into post production as a test, this was extremely unsuccessful and I will not be taking this further, as individual images or as a Hockney styled Joiner. • What post-production could occur?Lots of post production can occur in this style of photography, if I were to create the Hockney Joiner then I could adjust the levels to make the image more powerful and stronger, I would have to do this with each individual image to make it look natural, I would also be able to adjust the brightness and contrast, I could do this slightly differently in each photograph because it would emphasise different assets within the image, I could use this to give the photograph a focus. Another adjustment I could make is by slightly overlapping each image to give the photograph a collage look to it.

Final Image Raw image

What are your initial opinions regarding this image?

-As a raw image it is a solid photograph, there is a lot of detail to work with, the image could potentially be symmetrical to make it more aesthetically pleasing. The subject is not as focused as hoped for but the vantage point is good as it gives the image a large background. The ISO was 1600 when capturing this image, when zooming in it is clear there is some noise but not much as there is not much negative space.

Final Image Edited image


-This is my favourite image within the collection, this is because it is symmetrical, the depth has been increased and the focus is clearer, I also like adjustment of the brightness of the gentleman’s socks, the bottle of cherryade he is holding makes the image humours, this asset has been made clearer too. There is also less blemishes on the image, there are no scuffs on the door and the steps are now similar colours and shades..

The photograph still looks naturalistic regardless of the high amount of post production that took place, I also tried a variety of different styles when creating this image, assets of the image were in black and white and the whole image was significantly brighter and vibrant but this was the style that I thought worked best, I am very happy with the outcome of this image.



-This image is playful yet still. Due to the contrast that is already there is makes the subject bolder and the obvious focus of the image. The image is candid and the subjects were wearing gender identifying colours which I really like about this image. This image can be improved in post production, it would work both in monochrome and vibrant colours.



-The image works a lot better as a square, it removes excess of negative space. There is also little blemishes on the ground and rubbish in the puddle, this creates a peaceful feeling while obtaining the childish, playful feeling within the image. I tried this image in vibrant and monochrome but it worked best with a monochrome background and highlighted subjects. The image still looks fairly naturalistic regardless of the different use of colours and sharpness. The edited image is a lot cleaner and tidier which gives the childish feeling more innocents.



-It is clear that this image has potential but as a raw photograph lacks a lot of things I would like it to be. The subject is not in focus, this is disappointing because in previous work and other images outside of this project I have been able to capture a still image of movement obtaining detail and focus. I can adjust this in post production and will attempt to use the clone stamp tool seriously in order to eliminate the characters in the background, as well as make the puddle appear deeper with no rubbish.



-I emphasised the colours to give the image a deeper contrast, this was successful and it gave the image a deeper depth of field. The negative space in this image is light, this is because the image is childish and playful I a maintained them feelings by using lighter colours. I like how there is no longer any interruption in the image, there is one subject with nobody else in sight so the audience is focussed on the subject entirely. The image looks naturalistic so it fits into the collection, one issue I have with the image is around the edge of the subject, it appears cut out of the image, this could have been improved and the subject should have been highlighted but I know this for next time and I believe it is only noticeable once it has been pointed out. Other than this, I think it is a strong, aesthetically pleasing photograph.



-The image contains a nice natural framing with a strong foreground, middle ground and back ground. Due to the image being captured quickly there was little time to adjust the vantage point of the image so it is side on, this would look better if the image was central and symmetrical while including the natural framing. I do like this image as it can be changed and adjusted to suit the rest of my collection.



-I much prefer the edited image. The monument is central giving the image a balance and better sense of symmetry, cropping the image contributed to this also. The image was cropped at an appropriate place as the audience can still see the detail within the fence but their attention is still drawn to the natural framing. The levels have been changed which has a positive affect on the image, the greens are darker in some places while lighter in others, this gives the background a stronger appearance. The subject is sharper so it is more obvious what the subject is. The two assets of the image I dislike is how out of place the monument looks, it does not look as natural and looks edited in, this should have been looked at more carefully. The second asset I am unhappy with is the angle of which the photograph was taken, the ground is not level and the gate near the subject is more visible than the other side due to it being taken at a slight angle.



-In this image there is an asset of leading lines, this is seen in the top third of the image, the lines guide the audience to the focus. The focus of the image is central so this again follows a trend that has occurred in my collection. The image has a nice amount of detail on the walls, the bricks are obvious which gives the photograph a nice shape, this is most seen nearer the subject. The image could be made darker to give it a deeper depth of field, other than that I like the image because it is strong and suspicious. Making the audience curious of the subject.



-I much prefer this image to the raw photograph. There is a lot more contrast in colour and because of this the detail in the walls are a lot clearer, so the image is given a lot more texture, the leading lines are less clear, this is because the sign is brighter and bolder so that’s where the audiences attention is so the leading lines are not required as much. The sign at the top of the image now acts as a title, this is because it is almost gives the impression that it is not part of the photograph and it is a lot bolder than the raw image. I really like this photograph because it is clear, it follows a suit in my collection and is interesting due to it being mysterious.



-This image uses natural framing, I like how the lighting changes throughout the image, it slightly draws the attention elsewhere but this can be adjusted. I am not too keen on this image as it is basic and unoriginal, it has potential to fit in with the theme of my collection but as a raw image I do not like it so much but I am using it as a final image because I could surprise myself.



-The edited final image of this could be passed off as the raw image. I have removed the rubbish and made the yellow lines straight, this makes the image clearer and cleaner, this is something I like about this, I also removed the advertisement from the windows in the background, this no longer attracts the audience attention elsewhere. By cropping the image I created a solid use of natural framing, the level adjustments made an improvement on the image overall. By sharpening the subject it makes the subject more obvious, this is an occurring style I have used throughout.



-I really like the vantage point and angle of which this image was taken, the subject was cut out at an appropriate point and there is a nice distance between the camera and the subject which creates a space that gives the image an observational feel. What I dislike about this photograph is that it has such a busy background, it almost interrupts the subject, I did not want this image to be so busy.



-After post production I prefer this photograph a lot more, because the subject is sharper and bolder, the background is no longer a concern for being too busy. By removing the rubbish and yellow lines the image appears cleaner which also brings the audiences attention to the focus. The puddle appears cleaner and deeper which gives the entire image a stronger depth of field. I really like this image now I looks clearer. I have also tided up the blurred section of the image, it appears blurred but it is actually a reflection of the building in the background, it looks more like a reflection now. That I would change about this image is have the puddle reaching further towards the camera and create more of the subjects reflection, this would create less space and give the subject a deeper focus.



-I believe that this image has a lot of potential, the subject is the man slightly off centre, this was unintentional but I believe it works well. The image is slightly overexposed, it is difficult to recognise objects that are closer to the vantage point and the foreground, middle ground and background is not as defined as I would like it to be.



-I much prefer the edited version of this image, it is significantly tidier and the subject is emphasised. Due to the background being monochrome, the foreground, middle ground and background are a lot clearer. The top third of the image is a lot tidier and does not draw the audiences attention away from the subject like it did in the raw image. I really like this image after post production, the colours are subtle yet affective. I believe it fits in well with the rest of my collection.

Evaluation - CompositionFor the first image, I have made it symmetrical, the raw image was not, this gives the image an equal balance, there is a central-like focus on the doors, this is because there is a strong depth of field and the doors are detailed. There is humorous theme in this particular image, this is not set throughout the collection and this is what I believe makes this image stand out. Even though the image is busy, the audiences attention is drawn the the man sat on the stairs because he is following the rule of thirds. I wanted to have the top window in colour but this would draw attention away from the subject.

Image number two has an interesting balance of negative space, there is a repetition of distance between the subjects and the edges of the frame. The image appears naturalistic, regardless of the monochrome background, the image is candid. The contrast between the background and the subjects is what makes the image interesting, there is also texture on the subjects but there is not in the negative space so it creates a clearer focus. Even though the image appears flat, the subjects give the image more shape due to them being in colour.

The third image is vibrant with a great contrast between the subject, foreground and negative space. The image is clean and tidy which emphasizes the childish, playful theme. The photograph is very central which creates a balanced amount of negative space around the focus. This image follows a similar theme as the second photograph, they are of a very similar subject but both have monochrome backgrounds with a vibrant, texturized subject.

Image number four has been created using natural framing, there is also a symmetry in the image which was not there in the raw photograph. The colours have been enhanced to give the image more of a foreground, middle ground and a background, this is also a factor which makes the subject more focused, the other asset to this is that the subject falls very well on the line of thirds. Like most my other images, there is a central asset within the image, I created this by moving the monument to change the angle of which the photograph was taken.

Evaluation - CompositionThe fifth image has leading lines, they are not so obvious but they are there, the image was also made up of natural framing, that is what give the image a mysterious, suspicious feeling. Because of the angle of which the image was taken it shows detail on the wall. The image is also very central as the subject is in the centre and the sign leads the audience to the focal point. I like how the sign acts more of a title than just being part of the photograph. There is also a nice contrast between the subject and the background, this contrast also creates a negative space where less is happening within the image.

Image number six is also made up of natural framing and again, the contrast between the alley and the subject with the background gives the image more of a foreground and background, without using the rule of thirds. There is a lot of negative space but this gives the subject even more texture and focus. Like other images in my collection there is a central asset which creates an even balance between the subject and the edge of the frame.

The seventh image is taken at an angled vantage point which gives the image negative space and again the focus is central, the contrast between colours also contributes to the emphasis of the negative face, this does not give the subject space to travel into but it does create a still image. There is an improvement on texture from the original photograph, this draws the attention to the focus and away from the busy background. It is a naturalistic image which is what makes it work well. The puddle is given a deeper depth of field which stands out from the negative space and gives the image a deeper sense of detail.

And finally, the eighth photograph has a powerful contrast which gives the image a lovely ‘T’ shaped focal point. Regardless of the monochrome background the image still appears naturalistic, by having a monochrome background it gives the image a better sense of foreground, middle ground and background, as well as removing the attention from the vibrant signs. There is a lot of negative space within the image and even more was created during post production, this gives the image a sense of balance. Yet again there is a central focus within the photograph but this image also has a top heavy third of the image. The image also has a deeper meaning behind it, because the focus is on the central person and the train timetable it feels as if the subject is going somewhere but is to decide where, it gives a sense of freedom within adulthood.

Evaluation - AudienceI believe that my collection of photographs does meet the desired target audience. My target audience can appreciate my images because they can analyze them in attempt to find a meaning, similar to poetry but in a visual form.

I think the people that would be most fond of my photographs are people who can appreciate fine art and also people who appreciate York, there is only one monumental image but because of its humorous theme it can be appreciated by many people. Both females and males can appreciate my collection, it is not gender specific. I do believe that the two images of children would be most appreciated by women or men that can appreciate photography and fine art. Because the two images do not show the children’s identity it broadens the audience as if it showed their identity then the images could only appeal to family and friends of the children.

Peer ReviewI liked the use of a high contrast that is consistent throughout Ruby’s images and helps to bring out the rich colours of an image. It also makes the details and leading lines of the image stand out, keeping the theme of the images. The use of cropping has helped to make the subject more central to an image and creating symmetry from the surrounding area. The tone of the images appear to be be sad due to the wet weather, use of dark colours and lack of identity for the subjects in the images. Particularly in image 1 as the person is alone.

I feel that this theme needs to be continued through out all of the final images to create a strong set. I do think that the images that have a lot of lines such as image 1 and 4 can be edited to make them more central and straight as you can see that the lines in the image such as the steps are not level in the image. I think this will help to make the images bolder and more technically stronger. Also, thinking about the rule of thirds will help to edit the images.

Evaluation - ContextOne photograph I captured was influenced by Tao Lui, this is the first photograph in the collection, Tao Lui captured humorous images and this is what I have done here, without seeing Tao’s work I never would of thought to of captured this image because I would of thought it would look odd. I went my own approach by including a lot of background and making the identity of the subject unclear, unlike Tao’s photographs. My other images were inspired by a range of different pieces of street photography I have seen. I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Hans Eijkelboom and capture images of people wearing similar clothes, unfortunately I only had one day to get the images to make up my collection and I did not think I had enough time as Hans’ photographs took him two years to make up a variety of different collections and I did not think I had enough time and I did not want to risk it. An asset of Hans’ images that did influence my images were to photograph a single person, in some images this worked effectively while in others it did not, (image number seven is an example of this) I was unable to remove the people from the background of the image, I tried but some parts looked over edited and not at all naturalistic so ruined the entire image.

I believe that some of my photographs are worthy of being presented in a gallery (images one, two three and eight). And I will also be including these images in my portfolio, along with four and five. So I did meet my intentional context uses.

EvaluationA theme I have set throughout is by having one person as the focal point of each image, I achieved this particular aim. I also aimed to create a central focus which I have also achieved. All eight of my images have a central based theme with one single person as the subject of the image. I did this by using the clone stamp tool and the spot healing brush, these two tools allowed me to erase assets of the image that may draw attention away from the subject. To create a central based theme I used the cropping tool and polygon lasso tool, the polygon lasso tool allowed me to move assets of the image into different places, I then used the clone stamp tool to make it look naturalistic, these two tools were mainly used in image number four. The crop tool on the other hand was used in several images. I also knew on the day of the shoot my images would appear very busy as York is a busy town, I wanted to create naturalistic images that were passive, I have achieved this in some images while others still appear busy. Some images were difficult to adjust in post production to make less busy so this is why they are not as passive as I hoped for.

I believe that my images are fit for purpose and are worthy of being entered into a competition. Some images I believe are better than others which makes my collection weaker. The images I would enter into a competition would be mages one, two, three, eight and possibly five. My images look best when you see the raw/original image alongside the edited photograph because you can visibly see the improvements that were made in post production.

The feedback I received was both written and verbal. The written feedback was received by a member of my target audience so I was able to make improvements from that. The feedback shows they think similarly to myself, they did not have the opportunity to see all eight complete images but the feedback stated that my images are central with unknown identity of the subjects which is exactly what I hoped to achieve so this was positive feedback. I also received comments on the use of tones and contrast within each image and the darker assets are what give me a stronger set of images. The negative feedback I received was verbal and not from a member of my target audience, they said that some of my images did not follow a similar theme throughout the set and there was a lack of leading lines, symmetry and rule of thirds, I worked on this feedback to hopefully make these clearer to reach people outside of my target audience.

EvaluationThroughout my collection there is a similar exposure and depth of field which is what makes them work well as a set. The post production massively improved my images and allowed me to create a similar theme throughout. Images two and three are different from the rest of the set because I aimed to make them lighter to make them feel more playful. If they had the same depth of field and exposure they would appear gloomy which was not what I wanted these images to look like. Every image has a big use of negative space which draws the attention even more to the subjects of the photographs. I have had a lot of control over each asset within every image during post production, this is what allowed me to deepen the depth of field and sharpen certain assets of each image. Images one, two and seven have had a significant amount of depth added to the images, these three were images including puddles so the puddles have been made darker to give the illusion that they are deeper.

There is an even balance between monochrome assets and colourful assets, this is in each image and overall in my set. Using monochrome assets draws the attention to the subject. In image number three the monochrome background is subtle and light which is what makes this particular image work well. With each image I experimented to discover what worked best, every image had monochrome assets during post production, this experiment with each image allowed me to find out what worked best for that particular image and I had to think if it would fit within the collection. While experimenting I made assets of the images vibrant colours, this did not look naturalistic and nor did it fit in within the collection. I believe that the majority of my images could pass off for raw images if shown to someone with a less artistic eye than my target audience, this is something I like about my photographs.

EvaluationFrom this project I have learnt a lot, I have learnt how to analyse photographs using correct terminology, about the exposure triangle, how to adjust overexposed and underexposed images, how to repair damaged images, how to remove unwanted assets from an image, how to darken and lighten assets of photographs professionally, how to capture a good photograph using leading lines, rule of thirds, pattern, interrupted pattern etc, how to make a monochrome image colourful, how to correct an image if the wrong white balance was used. I have learnt lot about photography from this project, I have also learnt about photographers and what makes their work individual and what techniques they used to capture their images.

From this task I can now accurately analyse photographs and use them to my advantage to improve my own work. I can use a camera a lot more efficiently but I will need to continue practicing with cameras to remind myself how to adjust settings etc. I can also accurately erase assets within an image to make them appear as if they were not there. I can also make a monochrome image colourful.

Because I worked over time at home I was able to get the project completed in time. I do believe I managed my time well because all of the images are at a standard I am happy with and a full day of capturing images was enough for me to create a collection of eight.

I am happy with the photographs I have produced even though I believe a lot of improvements could be made, in particular, images five and six. These two photographs I believe are not as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of the set and they would not be eye catching if they were to feature on an online blog, magazine or newspaper.

Because all of the images in my collection have a strong depth of field with a small variety of light colours, the darker colours are intensified when the images are made monochrome. It makes all of my images significantly darker and often takes the attention away from the focal point. Because the darker colours have been intensified there is now a lot of noise visible in the photographs (there is less noise present in images three and eight.) My images look significantly darker, this is an occurring theme within my collection and this is emphasised in the monochrome collection.

I still believe the sixth image is the weakest in the collection, even when monochrome. To have this particular image closer to how I would like it to look would require me to include too much noise in the dark areas of the photograph, the image would be filled with noise and it would make it a poor photograph and poor photography skills.

Photographs two and three have lost their deeper meaning when in monochrome, they are no longer as playful and child-like as they were which was the intention behind these two photographs, this is why this image was not entirely monochrome. Image number five I believe looks good monochrome, I think it draws the attention to the focal point even more than my final image, to get the image in monochrome and exactly how I want it produces an awful lot of noise within the image, it is seen on the floor and walls so this is why I did not use this image in monochrome as a final piece.

The first image is still my favourite in the collection of final images and monochrome images, it works well in colour and in monochrome, the reason why I have not had this monochrome image in my collection is because there is again too much noise within the photograph, it also draws the attention away from the focal point as well as regarding the humorous side of the photograph which is what makes the image creative.

By creating a replica of my collection but monochrome, it shows a fine art side of my work, the monochrome images are the ones that are more likely to feature in a gallery and in peoples home. They fall further into fine art than the colourful images.

Education

evaluation - document 6